A high profile legal advocate has signed on to represent the family of Philando Castile, the African-American victim of a police killing just outside the gates to the Minnesota State Fair.
Judge Glenda Hatchett has agreed to represent the mother and family of Castile in the wake of the July 6 killing. Castile was shot by St. Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop for a supposed broken taillight. Hatchett is a well known celebrity judge who presided over cases on her television show, “Judge Hatchett.” The message from the judge, who is now in private practice, and from Castile’s mother is, “make this killing the last one.”
“In what county does being honest and telling the truth get you killed,” asked Valerie Castile, Philando Castile’s mother, referring to the claims that Philando Castile was shot after he informed police that he was legally carrying a firearm. “We have to change the laws, get with the legislature to try to do it differently. We need to change the way in which African-Americans are viewed. If this is the direction as a country we’re going in then we are doomed. Things have got to change, so what are you going to do about it?”
Hatchett said she agreed to represent the Castile family because she was “fed up” with seeing so many Black deaths at the hands of law enforcement. Hatchett said the entire nation should be appalled at the killing of Philando Castile.
“(The killing of Philando Castile) is not just this family’s loss, it is a loss for all of humanity,” said Hatchett. “We as a nation have to move to a higher ground. Philando is a son to all of us. This should not be just this family’s pain; this is a pain that has to be shared collectively.”
Referring to the many police killings of African-Americans where the onus of fault has been placed on the victims by some in the media and some members of the community at large, Hatchett said because of the Facebook video that captured the immediate aftermath of the Philando Castile’s shooting and because he was acting legally within his rights, this time there should be no doubt as to who was to blame.
“This time he wasn’t running from the police, this time he wasn’t fighting with the police, this time he was not trying to get (the officer’s) gun, this time he was not acting irresponsibly, this time he was not doing anything unlawful,” said Hatchett, who offered her remarks at the Minnesota State Capitol Grounds Lower Mall in St. Paul. “This time we had a man complying with the officer’s directives. This time must be the last time.”
Hatchett said the real question should be why Philando Castile was the target for this and 52 other traffic stops. Though she said the police audio of Yanez saying he was going to stop Castile because of his “wide set nose” had not been yet authenticated, Hatchett said that is no justification for a traffic stop.
“I have a wide set nose,” said Hatchett.
Valerie Castile said while she has not listened to the audio of the officer, she feels it proves her son was targeted solely because of his ethnicity.
“My son abided by the law and he was killed by the law,” said Valerie Castile.
Hatchett said the family will be filing a lawsuit on behalf of Castile. In addition, the former judge said she is calling on the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the shooting and she and the family are calling for a special prosecutor to review the case and determine if charges against Yanez should be filed.
